Egusi Stew/Soup

Egusi is simply ground melon seeds. It’s an off-white color and is normally cooked in soup or stew. This is the one soup/stew dish that I make on a regular. There are other ways to cook this dish, but when I’m feeling lazy or pressed for time, I just do it all in one pot…some other time, I’ll revisit this and cook it a different way.

1. Set stove to medium heat. Rinse meat and put in a medium/large pot. Add all the seasonings, except egusi, spinach, shawa (dried fish) and palm oil. Pour enough water in pot so that it covers all the meat. Boil on medium heat for at least 1.5 – 2 hours.

2. Pierce meat with a knife to check for softness. If the knife goes through with little pressure, follow the next step or let boil longer.

3. Add palm oil to boiling meat. Let boil for 5-10 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low. Add ground egusi and stir thoroughly.

5. Add shawa. Let boil for at least 20 minutes (it should thicken somewhat because of the egusi).